APRIL 12, 2023 – The Keesler and Biloxi Thunder Over the Sound Air and Space show will feature approximately 11 performers that’ll leave attendees thunderstruck.
The performers will conduct formation flights and aerial acrobatics with the theme of Heritage and Honor.
Below are some of the performances we are excited to announce:
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds squadron is an Air Combat Command unit composed of eight pilots, four support officers, three civilians and more than 130 enlisted personnel performing in 25 career fields. The Thunderbirds perform both solo and formation demonstrations. The formation demo exemplifies the training and precision of the pilots. While the solo demonstrations show the full capabilities of their F-16 Fighting Falcons.
The Trojan Phlyers is a group of aviation professionals dedicated to preserving the rich history of North American Aviation Company’s T-28 Trojan through both solo and formational aerial acrobatics. On Jan. 15, 1967, the 3389th Pilot Training Squadron was activated and equipped with the T-28 Trojan. The aircraft was used as a trainer aircraft at Keesler Air Force base to train foreign pilots as part of the Military Assistance Program during the buildup of the Vietnam War.
The Ace Maker Aviation will be flying the T-33 Shooting Star, performing aerial acrobatics and demonstrating the beauty of the first jet trainer of the U.S. Air Force.
Tora, Tora, Tora!!! is a living history lesson. This group travels the United States teaching the lesson of how the course of U.S. history was changed on Dec. 7, 1941, bringing awareness to aviation history as well as honoring those who were lost during Pearl Harbor. In mid-1942 the Army Air Forces directed Keesler to focus up on the training of mechanics for B-24 Liberator heavy bombers which were heavily used throughout the war by all American Armed Services and in some allied forces as well. The group will perform a live reenactment of the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, with pyrotechnics displays and the Mitsubishi AM6 “Zero”, one of the most capable carrier-based fighters in the world at the time.
Whether you have a love for history, aviation, or just a U.S. patriot, the Thunder Over the Sound Air and Space show has something for everyone. Check the Thunder Over the Sound Air and Space show website for more information.
Story by Airman 1st Class Trenten Walters
81st Training Wing Public Affairs